Goal Was Special – Magpies 19 Points Better Than Last Term

Alan Pardew was rightly full of praise for Hatem Ben Arfa, after the Frenchman’s tremendous individual goal after 73 minutes this afternoon, got Newcastle the breakthrough they needed against Bolton.

Newcastle players celebrate Ben Arfa’s wonder goal
Ben Arfa received the ball 10 yards inside his own half in the middle of the park, and dribbled at some speed towards the Bolton goal, beating at least three Bolton players on the way, before slipping the ball into the net past the goalkeeper.

That brought a huge Geordie roar from the Newcastle crowd, and big smiles from manager Alan Pardew,a dn 10 minutes later Shola Ameobi set up Papiss Cisse nicely for his 10th league goal in just nine games.

Alan Pardew had this to say after the game, about the mercurial Frenchman:.

“You don’t see many goals like that and I’ve been lucky enough to see two of them this year – both from the same player. It was a truly special goal.”

“He’s going to get all the plaudits and so he should for a goal of that quality.” “I’ve been pushing this for a while and he should definitely have a chance for the French squad.”

“The French manager needs to understand not only did he get that goal today, he had a hand in our second one as well.”

“We said if we were in there with six games to go, we would give it a go and that’s what we will do.”

“I’ve never ruled it out and if we don’t make Europe with this points total, it will be difficult to take.”

Newcastle got their 5th win on the trot this afternoon, and with Tottenham losing at home 2-1 to Norwich, who were the better side, and Chelsea only drawing 1-1 at Fulham tonight, Newcastle are now clear in 5th position, two points ahead of Chelsea and level on points with Tottenham.

Newcastle’s last five games of the season are against Stoke (H), Wigan (A), Chelsea (A), Manchester City (H) and Everton (A), and it will depend on how many points the lads can pick up in those games, which will determine whether we can automatically qualify for a European place.

Newcastle are also 19 points better off than we were at this time last season after 33 games, when we had only 40 points, so there’s been some significant progress this season, but somehow that seems too much of an understatement.

Bit off topic, but referee’s are absolutely shocking these days. The whole system/profession needs shaking up. When we get the camera’s in things will improve, I would say there’s numerous points swung around by decisions each year. The referee’s have a say on a season when they shouldn’t. It opens the doop to corruption..

Ben Arfur’s goal was really top drawer and he was like a rabbit at full tilt, skipping and weaving his way through their defence – wonderful to watch.

And… as for our Mr Cisse, what can one say? Has he scored a goal that he didn’t make look easy? He’s a wonder and I wonder what Mr Shearer’s got to say about him. Was he born the son of a sheetmetal worker and went to school in Gosforth I wonder?

It’s been as good a season for Newcastle fans as it has been for Utd fans. Yes Manchester are going to be Champions, again….. but Newcastle have lost plenty players over the last year, but come back with even better players. We were more likely to be relagated than to reach the top 6 this season. The top six is ours now, and we’re in with a little shout at Champs League spot, truely amazing.

geordiejamie89 – you’ve touched a nerve with me. Who is Utd as you put it? Don’t fall into the trap of referring to Utd when you mean Manchester United – there are more than ‘United’ in football you know!

At the start of the season everyone thought the top 5 would comprise of ManUre, Shiteh, Spuds, Arsenal and Chelsea. How weird is it seeing Newcastle in the mix!! Is it too much to believe that Arsenal will succumb to a draw/loss against Wolves after seeing us chase up behind them? haha. Ben Arfa’s goal was something special today, though I still prefer his one against Blackburn.

Wow, I was privileged to watch that goal today in the ground. Hatem is amazing. Non believers, now U can start believing. Simply brilliant!

My dad and I went beserk when it went in. Wouldn’t have begrudged him shooting when he passed to Cisse after another amazing run.

Demba needs to keep his temperament in check. Other managers may have bottled taking him off to relieve themselves of Demba flack. Pardew still took him off and rightly so. I’m sure he calm down after a bit of more. He can’t keep doing that though.

First visit to SJP in a couple of years today, and what a day to go! I’ll never forget Hatem’s goal as long as I live; from the moment he got the ball in the centre circle and turned his man, you just knew something special was gonna happen.

And today was the first visit for my son as well. He’s only two and a half, but the electric atmosphere showed him what it means to be a Newcastle fan and he loved every minute. Suspect this may become an expensive hobby, especially when he starts asking for a season ticket for his birthday.

How unfair will it be if Everton get in the europa league and we don’t!
We slug it out all season to get as high in the league as possible. Everton win a few games, get to play a cup final at Wembley and take our european place. What a f**king Joke!

Hehe… dreaming with my feet on the ground. Time to prove everyone wrong this year. It’s only a matter of time now…
If Demba Ba could only cut in more like Ben Arfa can… Imagine what a front 3 we’d have? Bang Bang Bang! But I still have this weird feeling that Ba and even Ben arfa might leave this summer…

I think if you ask 99 out of one hundred whether they follow Utd, they’ll either show you a Manchester United shirt and say yes, or say no. In Newcastle people might not, that’s fair enough, as Newcastle United are the biggest thing going. But the rest of the country, ie the majority of the population of the UK, would accept when you say Utd, you’re refering to Manchester Utd. Nuff said.

Yawn. Yawn and again, Yawn. You travel to twelve cities in England, Newcastle and Sunderland not included, and if I’m wrong you can have my car. Until then bore off tunnel vision twats. And to question my support of the club, season ticket holder for 8 years, (only 23 now) and buy three shirts every season without fail, and even bought signed shirts at charity events, well then. . . know sweet F.A.

And being in the military I know fans of Sheffield, Hereford, amongst other clubs, and asked whether they support Utd, they’d say: “no hereford” etc etc. Knowing that when somebody says United, the club that’s as good as won 20 titles, is the club which most merits being refered to as United, as much as the rest of us don’t like it.

geordiejamie89 – you’re missing the point…. the more folk refer to Utd, Manchester United”ll copyright the term ‘United’ as theirs thereby only allwoing that term to be used in the context of that club, as its brand name!

@ Lesh i do accept that and i apologise. I argue the point myself as I live in different places down south. However as much as I don’t like it, to the vast majority of the country accepts when someone says Utd, they’re talking about Manchester. And I think the only way to change that would be to win trophies, and be the “one” Utd.

@ MacToon, if you’re going to be a dick and make a point at incorrect referals to terms such as Utd. Don’t make the mistake of refering to me as Mate. I don’t want to have children with you, nor do I want to send you a birthday card. Dick.

Thank you Yorkshire toon, I’d rather Newcastle was refered to as Utd if any team was, but I accept as most of the rest of the UK do, even on BBC amongst other things, that Utd, is usually first thought of as Manchester. And until Somebody with Utd, wins trophies, then that’ll be the case.

It’s pretty obvious geordiejamie89 you still have alot of growing up in front of you aswell as that you should realise using potential homophobic remarks as insults should be something that’s frowned upon nowadays, hum kids of today.

No worries! i can understand how a geordie would disagree because they live in newcastle and its all about the toon so lets leave it there! anyhow i saw someone earlier say that ba wouldnt shake pardews hand when he went off is there any truth in that because there hasn’t been anything said anywhere i’ve looked or on motd?

Haha Geordiejames89 u r a bell3nd lol chill out. u clearly r not in the military otherwise I would be scared for u In a genuine high intensity environment if u get this wound up about something so trivial on an Internet forum

And yea Ba went off in a bit of a strop, but I don’t think he refused to shake hands. I can see how frustrating it can be to be the Newcastle focal point, then shoved out on the wing while Cisse is banging them in for fun. But hopefully he’ll see the bigger picture and he’ll definately be needed next season if he stays. Even just having him out wide is helping us, defenders are doubling up when he gets on the ball, and occasionally freeing up another forward.

Delightful run of form, that’s for sure, but it wouldn’t be Newcastle without some sort of unnecessary drama. Why on Earth is Demba Ba so darn upset? He seems like such a hard working, happy, humble lad and all of a sudden–now that he’s not the center of the offense any longer, he throws a fit? We’re better off keeping HBA and Cisse and letting Ba go (and we all know he will anyway).

Pardew needs to remind Ba that he’s likely to get more money from whomever signs him if he doesn’t demonstrate a propensity to sulk and whine when asked to play team football.

I really am disappointed in him…expected more character from him, really. But perhaps I’m making a mountain of a molehill…we’re used to Joey Barton around here, after all.

Wow, so naive it’s unreal. Not only have you probably never been outside Newcastle, to say that Newcastle are the only Utd. Add to that you don’t know that everyone in the British Army is trained on firearms first, then trade second. Of which I am an installation technician in the Royal Signals if you doubt my brain capacity or ability with a rifle. You’re probably a student I’d hazard a guess at. Either that or a dole mong.

It was a little bit of Fergie tactic’s the last couple of matches TBH against swansea play through us we catch you on the break.

Against Bolton we huff it long for the first half knowing your big lads will win it then you have to nack yourselfs coming back at us. Put on a little fast fella on the wing in the second half nack you even more.

Got to be manager of the season but if we finish above spurs will England come Knocking? I hope not!!!

I do doubt your intelligence though if u genuinely believe I think there r no other clubs called united and the fact u didn’t even understand my joke proves your just a chav my tax money has paid to train how to use a weapon and a disgrace to the real heroes in the armed forces who don’t feel the need to spout off about the fact they r in the armed forces.

I’m extremely disappointed if ba didn’t shake pardews hand and that needs to be punished but a lot of fans are being ridiculous with the way they are turning on ba now…

We wouldn’t be where we are now without him and the mst important point which people who are saying he can replace ba with hoilet is… cisse isnt going to play every single game especially if we get into europe!

hoilet isnt a front man ba is! and if ba left we wouldn’t have someone with the sufficient quality to play that front role in the middle of the 3. Think on lads lets get behind the players you don’t know who reads this blog i would if i was a pro!

@ yorkshire toon cheers for seeing the point i was putting across. If I could choose one club to be Utd, it would be Newcastle United. I was making the point of the vast majority of the population of the UK and prem league followers worldwide. I do however see why it would cause offense and I apologise. However doubting whether I’m a fan, whether I pay taxes, and saying that Newcastle are the only Utd, is pretty naive.

The problem with Ba is his best mate stole his role and he’s a bit grumpy. The 2 of them can’t play as a front 2 (yet) they need someone to lay the ball off. they are far too similar.

Ba, Best worked great, Ba shola works great. He has to be unhappy because although Pards has tried to put him in the team he has lost his place. 4-3-3 our only weak link is Ba.

But that’s because he’s not playing in his favoured position with a player that helps him out. Cisse is in form it has to be frustrating for the lad because if we had not signed Cisse then we might be in the same position but with him on 22+ goals for the season.

If we’d lost it could have been a whole lot worse considering how fickle some can be. I mean even Shola’s staking a claim to a starting shirt and we’ve only got a few games left, the press I imagine will make it seem alot worse that it (hopefully) is.
#unsettlingtechniques?

The thing is guys, people love having a moan even when there is nothing to moan about we r a top team, no doubting it. And every top team has poor performances or the odd weak link, we moan about simmo and willo but look at manure they have rafael and johny Evans all season…

It has shocked me all of this ba stuff, he’s always cam across as a happy to just be a footballer kinda lad not selfish at all with all the interviews i’ve seen of him saying he was released by a club but knew he could make it…

Positive angle on demba ba refusing to shake pardews hand.. he is upset with his perforrmance and religiously he feels he doesn’t deserve a handshake or pat on the back from pardew because of a bad performance? Anyone know if thats a thing for muslims? long shot! ha

Thought as much. What? Not play Cisse. Goal a game Cisse? I’d rather drop Ba for Shola if anything, after seeing his sweet pass (even if Cisse was offside). Although Demba needs a goal, I hate seeing him go off without one, it makes it more likely he’ll consider leaving.

Cabaye is definitely a similar player Mactoon, I don’t think he can control a game like scholesy though. He’s been awesome this season I just wish he played a bit higher up the pitch and had a few more cracks at goal

Ah. Everton beat Sunderland 4-0, which btw was great, especially the last goal going in-off. However they’re playing Liverpool soon, and they might beat them if they keep that up. Lets hope Newcastle United finish in top 4/5 and don’t need that result, then the Everton win will be a bonus.

It’s his first season and he’s done very well, he and tiote controlled Manu at SJP, I remember seeing a quote by some (better) journo at that match saying SAF should have written a cheque for both of them there and then…..
Cabaye will grow more into the league and think he’ll be even better next season and hopefully that’s in B&W. Modric took a season to adjust and then had a great season, Cabaye fell on his feet straight away but can still improve as far as I can see.

One thing really stands out to me watching the last few games is that come 70 minutes other teams fall apart. Seems we are much more patient. And today was a perfect example. I thought we looked like ManU today. Didn’t do too much against a 5 man midfield. And then BOOM. A bit of magic. And then Bolton crack.

We’ve added ‘attrition of intensity’ to our game.

Re: CL football. I want it this year simply to see Tiote boss Barca, Real, Milan, etc. He was born for CL football methinks.

He can definitely improve, in recent weeks he has been joining the attacks a lot more, I’m hoping when Tiote is fully fit the gap between them will increased as cabaye is pushed further forward. I wouldn’t mind us signing another DM to play alongside Tiote and playing a 4-2-1-3 formation with cabaye as the advanced playmaker and relying on the front 4s attacking guile with the stability of Tiote and (m’vila for example lol ambitious I know)

Tiote is immense. I think Cabaye will be too next season, he just needs a little bit more time. We’ve already had a sneak peak of what he’s capable of, but to be fair, I bet he’s not been the focal point on the training ground, with all the defensive shifts, strikers switching places, etc. But with a squad back to fitness next season I think Pards will get the best of players like Cabaye.

@winaldo1990 despite differences I think you’re right on the 4-2-1-3. I think Perch and Tiote with Cabaye ahead is a good option, depending on the oposing team. But it’s a bit narrow, whereas Jonas has done well doubling up out wide with Santon etc.

Having a brick wall like Tiote infront of defence certainly has its uses and yeah Cabaye goes forward with the front 3 and works well, surprised he hasn’t scored more. Am I right in thinking only Cisse and HBA have scored recently? Was it Shola’s goal against the makems last time anyone else scored?

@geordiejamie1989 I forgot about perchinio slash “the rock” he has been immense just sit him in with Mr T. I think those two could offer enough protection against most teams . Mind u stoke do play with 2 out n out wingers so u may be right a bit too narrow for stoke

@ToonbyBlood. I agree some players would be great in the Champs League. Like Hatem Ben Arfa, or Cisse, or Tiote. Of course the worry is that if the team didn’t change, which it will, we’d have somebody like Messi on Williamson.

After all the hard work this season through the staff and the team players, I honestly hope we get Uefa Champions League. We deserve it. Chelsea truly don’t, Tottenham just does not want it more than us. We need to win as much games as we can later on this season. Stoke next take it from there. If we do get champions league, we really need a bigger squad.

I think next year with the same team plus another centre back we can do as well don’t forget we have Marv to come back Sammi and Bestie, we have Vuckic Abied and Fergie as new rising stars the future is Black and White.

Geordie… I remember last year everyone on hear was raving about Willo… I think he’s had a rough year. I think he’s a great team player. I’d love to see another solid CM come in. But can’t go past Saylor/Collo.

The one downside for CL is that we didn’t do very well in any other comp except PL. Will need to be able to beat teams like Bolton with our second string side.

Yea. I don’t know where the balance would be. If Tiote and Perch are playing the DM route, then nothing will get through the middle, but then Hatem and Demba would spend the whole game in the wrong half potentially as they’d be helping defend against Stoke’s wide players. But Hatem and Demba have spent a few games doing that and still managed to be dangerous on the break. I guess it depends where the main threat is, in the wide players, or their central midfield players. I’d personally rather have Tiote Cabaye and Jonas in midfield against Stoke. Jonas done well a couple of times helping out at the back today, and he is annoying to any oposing team once he gets the ball. Most end up giving away a free kick.

Tiote’s been off the boil at times but when he’s on his game he’s fantastic. Also the team work instilled on the team is great atm, seeing Cisse helping out at left back the other day was good to see but I’d much rather see him at the other end of the pitch.

How good is cisse. I’ll b honest I thought he would be decent but not this good. He’s unreal. Great seeing captain caveman back today. I can’t wait to see saylor back as long as he throws that 3 piece suit in the bin what a spine

Tiote is the best DM in the league at present. I think him and Scott Parker do a great job for their respective teams. But whenever Tiote is in the team people are a bit more optomistic, just like when Coloccini is in the team. And that’s nothing against the great job that Perch has done at CB. I just feel safer when Perch is in midfield, he’s great there.

Just look how poor Spurs were when they tried playing without Parker. Difference being Pardew manages to find a way around it without Tiote. I don’t see how anyone other than Pards deserves manager of the season, taking a side that was expected to struggle to stay up, into the mix with Chelsea and Spurs, and only a couple points behind Arsenal in third.

Not a fan of Carrick at all winaldo, used to like him but he;s been poor this season. I like Valencia though…. enough ManU references for the night! lol Except it looks like they are going to win the league with probably the poorest squad SAF’s had in a long long time.

Pardew has mentioned injuries a few times, but only mentions them for a few seconds, he did after the Swansea match, I don’t know about today. And yea Cisse and Hatem are the only goalscorers recently.

I think they lost every game after the parker ban or at least drew and didn’t play him today and lost. But your right we’ve played loads of games without tiote and yes we lack the bite in mid field but have still found a way to win!

Where is that mackem lover.. unwashed bugger who kept coming to this blog giving trash talk ?? Too small to remember the name! Excuse me.. we are now joint 4th & your team just been massacred by Everton!! & No way yr team will be above us!!! Take that your ignorance B@st@#d!!

Yeah and liverpool Jose Enrique we are 5th. Felt a bit sorry for him and carrol like they were made to look like Idiots in front of thier old club. But we all knew Dogleach was a carp manager. I looked at his side that day and said we are going to murder them on the break. Which we did. Really was the spring board for where we are going now. I look below us and all i see is Chelsea and Everton in the far distance.

It was amazing win, it’s amazing because our rivals fail to win as welland we get to see an amazing goal by HBA again.

There is only one thing that I don’t like in that game is Ba.
He has shown his true colour, he doesn’t think about the team, he just think about himself. His behaviour is not good for the dressing room. Yes, he hasn’t been in scoring form since Papis arrived, but if he wants to get that scoring form back, he will need helps from his teamatte and his manager.

If he doesn’t change his attitude in our last 6 games, wheter he is on the bench or starting, I will be very happy to let him go even if it’s for 7m or less.

No wonder Senegal sucks even though they have 2 great strikers at front, we just witnessed why.

I don’t think we should blow that out of proporsion, hopefully Pardew will take him to the side and have a word. And the chances are, the next penalty we get, he’ll take and score. I’ve no doubt he’ll score before the season is finished. Whether he stays or goes, we’ll have to see. But we’d expect to get 7 million for him. And Graham Carr picked up Papiss Cisse for 8 million, so I’m not too worried. In Pards I have faith. Silverware is coming.

@soundoid 148
They left us and bad mouthing us, now they are all regreting why they left us.
AC – just made #1 in top ten all time worst liverfool signings
Barton – probably going back to championship and acting like idiot again.
Enrique – did you get picked by your national team?
Nolan – probably play together again with Barton in championship

Must say Fergie played really well again yesterday.
He will get his place a lot more next year
Santon also played well although got pulled outa position a few times with Collo covering
Collo was best player for me,didn’t put a foot wrong all day.
Great passing n nearly a goal himself
Benny was the difference in the nd but that doesn’t make him man of the match for me

Flippin daft if u want Ba out cause he’s frustrated about not scoring goals.
He’s played the left side several game now, helps out allot, he was decent yesterday and nearly had a goal. The lad has scored 16 goals, more or less single handidly kept us competetive with goals at the start of the season.
Showing his true colors, pffff, he’s not said anything bad in the media and how the hell does people know what goes on in the dressing room.

Daft, empty headed slander. How do other people act when they can’t do their job right but still feel passionate about it? They usually throw a flippin tantrum.
Use your heads!

This is what I saw in that game, he doesn’t want to pass to Cisse when he was through on goal couple of times, instead he passed it wide so Cisse goes wide and have to make a cross.

That’s already a couple of chances gone in the 1st half
, when we could go at least 1-0 up and he did that to AP.
Swansea game 1st goal, Ba was behind Cisse and he was not happy that Cisse didn’t pass the ball to him and elect to score. He wasn’t happy when he got subtituted, the whole team celebrate 2nd goal and he wasn’t happy. The team scored another goal and he is the only one not happy about it. And you called me daft, empty headed? Am I the only one seeing it?
AC did the same thing, you probably reacted differently.

” The lad has scored 16 goals, more or less single handidly kept us competetive with goals at the start of the season”
You made it sound that this is 1 man team, like the others didn’t do anything the whole season. We don’t owe him anything, because he got paid to do it, he is paid to give everything his got and act professionaly. If he only scored 5 goals this season, then what? He would have the same fate as AC.
I say this not because we have great new #9, but because the way he act. One game he act like that, i’m fine, but 2 games in a row?

Lovenkrands – As above, but has said he wants more playing time and isn’t happy playing so little

Torres – Not a Chelsea fan, so cannot comment. I know of late he’s put in some great performances for the team, but then so has Ba. I would feel safe in saying that since his £50m move he must have acted frustrated at lack of goals etc – but not 100% sure.

HBA – Clearly was frustrated earlier in the season when he wasn’t playing at his best and couldn’t get enough time on the pitch and was losing the ball when on the pitch.

No one has really said they’re happy about Ba’s “lack of team spirit” lately, however, all of the discussion above is speculation, not reality. It may be just frustration and AP will deal with it. Then again, maybe not and he will be sold. I think the point is why people have turned so quickly against our top scorer over this.

He hasn’t refused to play, taken a holiday back to his home country etc etc.

I just want to emphasize, I don’t agree with his attitude or that his performances have been world class lately. However, we need to support him through this and see where it can take us. To go from Hero to Zero over this, for me, is too much

Reacted differently to AC? Why on earth would i do that!?
Incase u haven’t noticed, Ba has been playing that way all season. The lad wants to rack up as many goals as possible.
He is a selfish player in the final third, but u probably overlooked that.
The lad has 28 games, 16 goals, and 2 assists. What does that tell u?
Ba works all over the pitch, he’s more than once had a defensive header and he always tracks back.

If he’s unhappy about not scoring goals, it obviously gets to him, as he’s always used to score goals. So he’s an emotional character, HBA was no different sitting on the bench. Never saw him jumping around when a goal came unless he had started the match.

It’s only 2 reactions u can see his frustration from, that’s when he’s gotten subbed. And u think he’s tearing down the dressingroom….

Just think how different things would look if ba had scored the penalty against 5under1and and we had held on against Arsenal and not thrown it all away against Wolves. Can’t wait for the stoke game. Bring it on.

In honor of two dedicated Newcastle fans, who lost their lives supporting Newcastle United, when their passenger jet was shot down over Ukraine on Thursday July 17th, 2014 by rebels, as they were traveling to support the team in New Zealand.

We will never forget them.

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Thanks to reader Lewis Spiers, who has kindly set up the Fantasy League for our readers.

I had another battery of medical tests early last week, and the results show my PSA count as undetectable, which means the prostate cancer is still under control, and there is no trace of cancer in the body.

I'm very pleased about that.

Ed Harrison

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What Is A Football Club?

“What is a club in any case?"

“Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it.

It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes."

“It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city."

“It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.”